12 days to Christmas
by A-Karana
Summary: It's their first Christmas together as a couple and they have only 12 days left to get everything ready. And that's not as easy as it sounds...Written for the LJ community prompt 12 in 12. Will be updated daily.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Uhm... no idea.. 12 days of Cadgins Christmas?!  
**Author:** Akarana  
**Rating:**T  
**Prompt:**There were prompts? Uhm... Christmas decorations, kissing... and I'm out  
**Character(s)/Ship:**Cadgins, what else?  
**Summary:**I somehow think this is kind of self-explanatory  
**Spoilers**: I guess you should know the epis up to 5.10 to not get spoiled

This is where I put in my personal warning: It is now 12 days before Christmas and I guess we're all busy. I couldn't come up with anything beforehand so I just wrote this down and post it now. No beta has ever seen this and I am still no English native, as much as I wish I were. So there might be mistakes and weird expressions and maybe even stuff that doesn't make sense. And I am sorry for that. But how could I ask a beta do beta a story a day? And knowing me those buggers can get pretty long. So, I hope you bear with me and forgive me the mistakes, I try my best.  


* * *

**Part 1/12: Decorating**

„So, this will be our first Christmas together," Hodgins said and took another box of decorations from her, placed it on the table in the living room and sat down on the couch. He waited for her to join him and get out of the closet where she had stored all the decorations.

"What did you say?" she asked when she finally walked into the living-room with even more boxes, which she had stacked so she could balance them on her hands and steady them with her chin. He shook his head when he saw her and got off the couch again to help her put the boxes down before she would drop them.

"How much more of this junk do you have?" he asked and pointed to the table and the floor that were covered with boxes filled with dancing Santas and tinsel in every imaginable color.

"This is no junk," she protested and opened the first box. "And where is your holiday spirit?" she asked him and threw a bag with tinsel in his direction which he caught.

"Buried somewhere up in the attic, where we were looking for this junk for two hours until you remembered that you put it in that closet over there," he grumbled. "And wasn't my mother's old porcelain in there? What happened to that?" he asked her and raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"I have no idea, because_ you_ cleaned it out so I could put my "junk" in there," she told him and threw more tinsel in his direction.

"Yeah, because I thought you'd move in and not just put the stuff there that you had in your attic before," he grumbled and pulled strands of tinsel out of the bag, making a mess on the couch.

"Hodgins," Cam sighed and placed her hands on her hips, a resigned look on her face.

"I know, I know, still too early," he mumbled and threw more of the golden and red strands on the couch, not even thinking about it. She looked at him, sighed again and finally walked over to him and sat down sideways in his lap.

He looked to the side just to avoid looking at her, but she wouldn't have it. She cupped his chin with her hand and turned his head to her. He glared at her defiantly, knew already what she would tell him but didn't want to hear it. It was enough for her that he looked at her though and she kissed him softly to weaken his resistance.

"We've been together for four months now, right?" she asked him and adjusted her position by wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Right," he nodded obediently but still pouting.

"And you know that I have Michelle to consider. I wouldn't move in alone," she went on.

"I know," he muttered. They had had the exact conversation a thousand times already.

"And she would have a much longer way to school, not to speak of the fact that she just moved in with me," she raised her eyebrows as she told him that.

"She moved in with you over a year ago and you haven't even asked her yet," he protested in frustration.

"Hodgins, why isn't it enough that we celebrate Christmas together here at your place?" she asked him.

"I don't want to wait anymore. I'm done waiting. We've been together for four months, but we've danced around this for a year," he replied and pulled more tinsel out that fell on her lap.

"You are being greedy and acting like a spoiled kid. And while I think you're cute when you're pouting you should stop it, because I'm not changing my mind," she said sternly, took some of the colored strands and decorated his hair with them.

"Will it help if I throw myself on the floor and scream really loud?" he asked her with puppydog eyes, the tinsel hanging off his hair, framing his face.

"No, it won't. But maybe if you help me decorating your place… You know once I see the decorated Christmas tree beside the lit fireplace…" she trailed off.

"In front of which we will make love all night," he finished her sentence with a rakish grin.

"Which is only possible if Michelle doesn't live here," she added and the pout was back on his face. Cam laughed out loud when she saw it and threw more tinsel on his head. "Come on, Jack, don't be such a baby! Michelle and Perry will be here in an hour and we still have to set up the tree," she grinned.

"Or we could just make out until they get here and set up the tree later," he disagreed and gave her a lingering kiss.

"Ok," she shrugged nonchalantly just before a large smile broke out on her face. He let the bag with tinsel drop onto the couch and brought his hands up to her hair, played with it while he kissed her. The soft and playful kiss soon got more heated. They ended up lying on the narrow couch with him on top of her, his hands under her red christmas pullover, hers tangled in his hair and her legs wrapped around his. They had to break apart when the aching in their lungs reminded them that they needed to breathe from time to time. He opened his eyes and looked down on his girlfriend, whose hair was sprawled out on the couch.

"I think we're doing a good job decorating," he grinned when he saw the tinsel woven in between the black strands of her hair and pulled a red one out to show her.

"Glad we agree on that at least," she smiled and pulled him down to her again. They had only twenty more minutes left.

**End of part 1**

**And because I just staretd writing this I have no idea where this will be going. Gues it'll be a surprise for all of us ;)**

**Please check out the other stories that were submitted at the cadgins community on LJ. Great stuff!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Uhm... no idea.. 12 days of Cadgins Christmas?!  
**Author:** Akarana  
**Rating:**T  
**Prompt:**There were prompts? Uhm... Christmas decorations, kissing... and I'm out  
**Character(s)/Ship:**Cadgins, what else?  
**Summary:**I somehow think this is kind of self-explanatory  
**Spoilers**: I guess you should know the epis up to 5.10 to not get spoiled

This is where I put in my personal warning: It is now 12 days before Christmas and I guess we're all busy. I couldn't come up with anything beforehand so I just wrote this down and post it now. No beta has ever seen this and I am still no English native, as much as I wish I were. So there might be mistakes and weird expressions and maybe even stuff that doesn't make sense. And I am sorry for that. But how could I ask a beta do beta a story a day? And knowing me those buggers can get pretty long. So, I hope you bear with me and forgive me the mistakes, I try my best.

* * *

**Part 2: Decorations part II**

She could feel his eyes on her, knew exactly where on her body they were resting at the moment. First he looked at the back of her head where her long hair was still wrapped in the tight bun she usually had for work. She felt the eyes wandering down to her exposed neck, where her hairs were standing up. Then they slowly moved to her shoulders, down her back and over the fabric of her pink and black print dress, further down to her rear and finally wandering to her legs that were only covered in see through nylons and the dress that just reached her knees. Every spot of her body his eyes touched felt warmer than the rest and she felt her cheeks redden with heat, just before his gaze stayed on her behind. He stared. She knew it. He stared longer. She tried to ignore it. The flutters in her stomach grew stronger; His eyes still on her butt.

"You know, if you would help me instead of just stare at me we would be finished much sooner," she told him without turning around. She knew that he was lying on his side on the sofa, head resting on his propped up right arm, sock covered feet buried in the pillows on the other end of the couch.

He laughed. That throaty laugh that made her knees weaken, which wasn't a good thing when you're standing on a ladder. "Where's the fun in that?" he asked her chuckling, his eyes still lingering on the same spot of her anatomy.

"The 'fun' would be that I could finally get off this ladder and change into something more comfortable. I've been in my work clothes all day," she replied and while she tried to sound annoyed, it sounded more like whining even to her own ears.

"I told you that we would decorate the fireplace and the Christmas tree next weekend, but you wouldn't listen," he said and she felt his eyes on the back of her head again. He was trying to get a glimpse at her face, she knew, so he could see if she was really annoyed with him or just pretending. She looked straight ahead at the gigantic Christmas tree in front of her and refused to give him any indication of how not angry she actually was. Sure, some help would be nice because this tree was huge and it would take her forever to decorate it. Then again, what was some decorating compared to the knowledge that your boyfriend was lying on the couch clad in jeans, socks and a tight fitting T-shirt and devoured you with his gorgeous blue eyes? Most likely he was making a plan now what he would do to you later that night right in front of the newly decorated fireplace, just as he had promised you earlier that day when he had whispered it in your ear, while you tried to concentrate on the test results on your PC screen.

She concentrated so hard on not giving anything away that she didn't reply to his last comment. Carefully she hung another silver star on one of the twigs right next to the crystal angel she had found in his Christmas decorations, or better: the decorations of his parents. She cocked her head to the side and checked it. Was there too much decoration at this particular area or too little? Maybe some more tinsel was needed?

She heard him getting up and then he padded over to her, his socked feet only making quiet sounds on the old wooden floor, which creaked under his weight. She gripped the handle of the ladder when she felt his warm hand slowly wandering up her right leg, afraid she would lose her balance.

"This is not helping," she said and looked over her shoulder down on him, a smile playing on her lips, her eyes sparkling in the lights she had put up on the tree earlier.

"Get off that ladder, Camille," he told her, his voice deep and husky, his hand coming to rest on her hip. Slowly she took one step at the time, her nylon covered feet making it hard not to slip. He steadied her with his hands on her hips and held out one hand to her when she was nearly all the way down. She took it and he pulled her in his arms when her feet touched the ground, kissed her in a way that made her forget the Christmas ornaments and the still only partially decorated Christmas tree.

"You are horrible, Dr. Hodgins. I'll never get anything done," she lectured him when they broke apart.

"What? It's not my fault when you step on a ladder in that dress," he shrugged innocently and let his hands wander over her back, showing her how much he appreciated her appearance.

"You see me every day at the lab in similar dresses. Or is it the ladder that's turning you on?" she teased him.

"Darn, you got me. That shiny silver metal and those small, delicate stairs," he replied with a dreamy look on his face.

"Silly guy," she laughed and slapped his chest.

"Why don't you get changed, forget about that stupid tree and we curl up on the couch with that eggnog that's waiting for us in the kitchen?"  
he suggested, his fingers playing with the zipper of her dress on her back.

"Yesterday you threw away half of the tinsel and distracted the three of us with your indoor pool," she started lecturing him and tried not to pay attention to his teasing fingertips which caressed her neck.

"You all loved it. Michelle and Perry didn't want to leave," he defended himself.

"We wanted to set up the tree, decorate it and decorate your house and what did we accomplish? Nothing," she went on, feeling her resolve melt under his soft touches and the warm blue eyes.

"Oh, I think we accomplished a lot in the steam bath," he grinned at her and she just shook her head. He was trying to wrap her around his little finger once again and while she would love to just give in, she also knew that they would never get the house decorated if they would keep this up. A new approach was needed and she steeled herself inside and tried to ignore her betraying body.

"This won't be working today, Hodgins. Now that you finally got off the couch you can get on this ladder and finish decorating the upper part of the tree while I will change and then help you," she said and tried to sound as strict as possible.

"Ok, fine, but only so this will be done and we can concentrate on other things," he sighed and stepped away from her, wanted to get on the ladder.

"Hey," she said and pulled him to her by the collar or his shirt when he turned back around to her. She kissed him slowly and then turned him back around by his shoulders and walked out of the room. She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath, tried to talk herself out of running back to him and ravish him right there. Her body was still tingling where his eyes had caressed it.

"Bossy woman, stupid tree, stupid, stupid decorations. I should have just gone skiing," she heard him mutter and stopped walking. She had to laugh and tried to be quiet so she could hear the rest of his rant. "There haven't been Christmas decorations in here for years and it was fine and now they get all the attention. Whatever happened to getting drunk on Christmas and spent the holidays nursing the hangover?" It was the last thing she heard before she snuck out of the room, smiling widely. She quickly went up to his bedroom where her clothes were and changed into comfortable jeans and a shirt and stopped by the kitchen to get some eggnog before she walked back into the living-room. She was surprised when she came back and found that he had decorated the whole tree in the meantime.

"Wow, you're going super human speed now?" she laughed when she found him breathless and sweaty in front of the decorated tree.

"Decided that the faster we get this over with the sooner I don't have to share you with the decorations anymore," he told her with a boyish smile and sparkling eyes that made her heart speed up.

"Share me with decoration? I think those exhaust fumes you analyzed today are messing with your head," she mocked and handed him a cup with eggnog.

"Hey, you should be nicer to me now that I decorated your tree," he protested before he turned around and looked at the tree, mirrored her position.

"My tree? This is your house and that makes it your tree," she disagreed and put her empty cup down, placed it on the top step of the ladder.

"How about our tree?" he asked, put his cup down beside hers and then pulled her close by wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Our tree… I like the sound of that," she grinned and finally allowed herself to melt against him and surrendered to him, his ridiculous delicious lips that tasted like eggnog and his huge baby blues that she loved so much.

**End of part 2**


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3: The poisoned king of...**

He stopped dead in his tracks when he unlocked the door and heard laughter from inside the house. He wrinkled his forehead in confusion and quietly closed the heavy wooden door behind him. He put his brown leather bag down on the floor beside the door and threw his jacket over the banister of the stairs to his left. He didn't mind taking off his shoes and followed the giggles through the entry way and the dining room into the kitchen. When the door swung open and he could see inside the room, a smile broke out on his face and the wrinkles on his forehead vanished. He leaned against the doorframe, put his right hand on his hip and watched the chaos in front of him. Where his kitchen had formerly been was now something that looked similar to an exploded flour bag that had taken down almonds, cinnamon and chocolate with it. The five females responsible for the eruption were busy chattering away while they leaned over some grayish substance that was spread out over his kitchen counter.

"_What_ are you doing?" he asked and made his presence known, four heads turning in his direction at the same time.

"Hey Dr. Hodgins," Michelle waved in his direction, her hands covered with the gooey substance that occupied his kitchen counter. His grin got wider at her still calling him Dr. Hodgins. The formal addressing had somehow become her nickname for him during the last months. "We're baking cookies," she let him know and waved her hands around at the ingredients that were scattered all over the kitchen.

"Looks more like something exploded in here. You sure there wasn't some kind of bomb involved?" he asked, pushed himself off the doorframe with his shoulder and walked into the room. Michelle's three friends looked at him curiously, knowing that they were in his house and his kitchen, although they had never met him before. He smiled friendly at them but his eyes had found already who he had been looking for. Leaning against the counter beside the girls was his girlfriend, dressed in jeans and one of his flannel shirts, a somewhat desperate look on her face.

"I told you that we would bake here today, didn't I?" she asked him apologetically and squeezed his hand secretly when he greeted her with a peck on the lips.

"Actually you're words were 'We'll use your kitchen tomorrow because the cookie cutters are at your place'," he said and couldn't help but look around his once- upon-a- time clean kitchen.

"Potato potatoe," she rolled her eyes at him, the hand hidden from the girls still comfortably resting in his. "But what are you already doing here?" she wanted to know.

"I was testing the substance we found in the basement of the handbag guy and obviously the vent in my lab is not working as it should. Turns out it was pyrethoids and I breathed in the fumes and now I have a splitting headache and decided to go home early," he told her. Opposed to her he hadn't had the day off.

"Oh," Cam said and looked worried. "We'll clean up and get out of your way then," she told him and out of the corner of his eye he saw Michelle's disappointed look.

"Nah, you stay here and bake and I'll go upstairs and lie down. The house is big enough after all," He replied and managed to wink at her. He pecked her lips again and waved at the girls before he walked out of the kitchen and made his way upstairs. He would have loved to stay and watch them, but his head didn't feel like company and chatter, and his bed sounded awfully tempting at the moment.

~*~

He had taken off his shoes and was unbuttoning his shirt when he heard the bedroom door open behind him and didn't need to turn around to know who it was. She walked up to him without a word and took over the task of unbuttoning his shirt when she stood in front of him.

"You ok? You have anything else beside a headache?" she asked and sounded worried and professional to equal parts.

"I'm just tired," he shrugged and let her pull the shirt off of him. When she dropped it he leaned into her. She wrapped her arms around him and held him in a tight embrace while he leaned his cheek against her shoulder and closed his eyes. That her hair smelled like cookies made him smile despite his pain.

"You know that fatigue is another symptom of pyrethoid poisoning, don't you?" she asked quietly, her warm breath tickling his ear.

"Mmmh," was his only reply before he pressed his lips to the side of her throat.

"No nausea, burning eyes, coughing?" she wanted to know and he just grunted in reply, lost in her touch. She let her hand wander up his neck, massaged his skull and wandered down again, while the other rubbed circles on his back. Her fingertips touched the skin of his shoulder from time to time whenever she reached the seam of the white wife-beater he wore, and he found himself waiting for these touches and the tingling they evoked.

"You're not falling asleep on me here, are you?" She asked after a while of holding and caressing him and he could hear the amusement in her voice.

"Nearly," he smiled and stood back up straight with a sigh. "I think I'll just lie down and sleep it off," he added, his arms still wrapped around her waist.

"I'll bring you something to drink and some Tylenol," she replied and pressed her lips against his forehead before she untangled from him and left the room. Wistfully he watched her leave and stared at the closed door for a moment before he snapped out of his daze. He stepped out of his jeans and went to the bathroom before he sank down on the bed and lay down. His brain clouded with chemicals and fatigue, he rolled over and expected her to be next to him, and then remembered the circumstances of him lying on this bed. He missed her, he realized, which was stupid because she was downstairs baking cookies. He was being ridiculous, he decided. Ridiculously hopelessly in love with this woman, he added in his mind and closed his eyes.

When she came back he was already half asleep but she made him sit up and take the Tylenol and drink some water.

"Stay," he requested sleepily and held her hand in his, when she wanted to get up from the edge of the bed.

"As much as I would like to lie down and nap with you, I can't. I have four teenagers down there who will most likely burn down the kitchen if I don't get back soon," she replied apologetically and cupped his face with her hand. He leaned into her touch and closed his eyes again without giving her other hand free.

"I doubt that it is safer with you down there," he muttered, knowing about her non-existent cooking skills. "And I don't care about the kitchen, don't need it. Don't need this whole house. It's too big for me alone anyway," he added somewhat dolefully.

"Oh god, now he reached the weepy stage," Cam quipped amused before she cooed exaggeratedly "Poor baby."

"Don't mock me, I've just been poisoned," he replied without opening his eyes and rubbed his cheek against her hand.

"You poisoned yourself," she pointed out and rolled her eyes although he couldn't see it.

"Doesn't matter. Stay," he requested again and made her sigh deeply.

"Ok, but just until you're asleep," she agreed and kicked off her slippers. "Scoot over." He moved a bit more to the middle of the bed and sighed in contentment when she lay down beside him and wrapped her arms around him. He buried his nose in her hair, concentrated on her fingers that played with his curls and nodded off.

~*~

When he woke up two hours later his headache had diminished to a dull throbbing and he felt much better. He rolled onto his back and listened, tried to make out sounds from downstairs when he found her missing from his bed. He hoped that Cam hadn't just left. That would be the last thing he needed on this crappy day.

He got up and walked to the door, then remembered that he should probably put some clothes on and turned around. He put on the jeans he had worn to the lab that day, but chose a more comfortable shirt and some of those expensive soft socks he owned.

He was halfway down the stairs when he heard noise coming from the kitchen. The chatter sounded less happy and more frustrated and he raised his eyebrows and walked a bit faster; his curiosity peeked now.

"But girls, if we put more flour into it it'll be just as hard again," Cam said as he stepped into the kitchen.

"But we can't cut the dough like that, it's too... gooey," Michelle disagreed, clearly frustrated.

"Ladies, what's going on here?" he asked loudly from the doorway and all five turned to look at him.

"It's not working! The cookies are either too hard or the dough is too wet," Michelle said in a whiny tone.

"The recipe seems incorrect," Cam shrugged, because she didn't want to admit that she could neither cook _nor_ bake.

"With my dad they always worked," Michelle pouted and slumped against the counter, just as the other three girls were.

"Ok, let me see," he laughed and walked over to them. He took the notepad with the recipe from the counter and read through it, then looked at the dough in front of him.

"You're feeling better?" Cam asked him while he studied their oeuvre.

"Yes, thank you," he replied and smiled warmly at her before he turned his attention back to the recipe.

"Ok, uhm, is it possible that you used instant cocoa instead of real cocoa? Because that's the only explanation I can come up with at the moment that would explain_ this_," he said and pointed to the goo.

"Isn't that the same thing?" Michelle shrugged and confirmed his suspicion.

"Oh god, please don't ask him that! He will give you the chemical review of both substances," Cam groaned and hung her head what made the girls smile.

"No, it is not the same thing," he told Michelle and then turned to Cam. "And thank you for your reassurance Dr. Saroyan," he told her with an amused twinkle in his eyes.

"What can we do now?" one of the girls asked.

"Michelle open that cupboard there, there must be real cocoa somewhere inside," he ordered before he gave other tasks to the other three girls. Cam just stood and watched in awe as he took over the baking operation and twenty minutes later they were able to put the first batch of perfectly star- shaped cookies into the oven. The cookies before had either melted in the heat or had become as hard as bricks. Both had smelled delicious, but neither had been eatable.

"Ok, what's up next?" he asked and Michelle handed him the next recipe. He studied it and nodded. When he looked up he grinned, because he knew that Cam was still watching his every move, just as she had done the last twenty minutes.

"Hey, lazy, why don't you grab those sprinkles and help?" he teased her. She rolled her eyes but then had to smile and did as he had told her. He made a point of brushing against her or subtly touching her whenever he had the opportunity to and another half hour later the second batch of cookies was in the oven and the first one was sitting on the counter to cool.

"Anyone else wants some coke?" he asked and took a large bottle out of the fridge when they all nodded. The teens took their glasses with them to the table that stood in the other corner of the kitchen and sat down, while he and Cam remained standing, leaned with their backs against the counter beside the fridge.

"Thanks for saving me," she grinned at him and sipped her coke.

"No problem," he shrugged and wrapped one arm around her shoulders.

"Next time she asks me to do anything like this I'll just say no in the first place," Cam chuckled and leaned more into him.

"That's probably wise," he agreed and grinned when she nudged him with her shoulder.

"Hey, what happened to the vent in your lab? I'll call the repair crew as soon as I'll be in tomorrow," she asked after a moment of companionable silence.

"The sensor seems broken," he shrugged a bit too innocently for her taste and she could smell that something stank to high heaven. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"And just how did this sensor break?" she asked and he knew he was busted.

"It might have something to do with the explosion earlier today," he admitted sheepishly.

"What explosion?" she asked but stopped him by holding up one hand when he opened his mouth to answer. "No, don't say it, I don't wanna know today. I'll deal with this _and with you_ tomorrow," she decided.

"Just remember that I saved your cookies," he grinned and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"I will. From now on you're 'king of the cookies'. That 'king of the lab' thing just exploded with your vent sensor," she told him in a conspiratorial whisper and winked at him when he gaped at her.

"But I am... and what about… I nearly _died_ today while doing my job," he tried to protest exaggeratedly, but she just laughed and kissed him, refused to talk about this any longer. She would so kick his ass tomorrow, he knew and decided with a sigh that he should try to get some more bonus points as long as he could.

"Next round of cookies, anyone?" he asked loudly and pulled her with him by her hand when he walked over to the teens.

**End of part 3**


	4. Chapter 4

**Part 4: New memories**

„Hodgins, do you have the reports ready for me?" she asked when she walked up to him the next afternoon. Other than in the morning when she had requested detailed information on the explosion and had given him his punishment, they hadn't seen each other all day. At the moment she regretted a bit what she had come up with, but then again the fact that he was her boyfriend shouldn't have any effects on her work.

"No, not yet. I can't concentrate when _he_ is looking constantly over my shoulder," he replied without looking up from his computer screen but pointed with his thumb in the direction of the security guard who would watch his every move for the next week, so he wouldn't blow up anything else before Christmas. She knew he was angry and annoyed with her, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something else going on with him that day. He had been grumpy when he got up, silent during breakfast and plain out berserk when she had told him about his punishment. It seemed all a bit over the top, especially for him, and she wondered if maybe he was still suffering from effects of the poisoning.

"Ok, then please get them to me as soon as possible. I need to hand them over to Booth, he has been asking," she told him and turned around on her heels and walked away again.

"Can't you just take one step back so I won't crash into you every time I turn around?" she heard him snap at the guard and stopped for a second.

"Hodgins! It's not his fault," she lectured him and then walked to her office.

_Should she call him over and ask him what was wrong_, she wondered but then decided against it. People were gossiping about them as it was because they were spending so much time together without making any official announcement. If they would now argue in her office, and she knew that it would become an argument because of the mood he was in, then all bets were off and everyone would go crazy.

Her phone rang and brought her back to her office. She checked the caller ID, knowing already that the call came from inside the lab, and was glad when she saw that it _wasn't_ him.

"Angela?" she answered and leaned forward in her chair.

"Hey, I found out what clothes the victim was wearing. Will you come over or you want me to come to you?" the artist asked and Cam jumped when she heard Hodgins cluttering angrily with something in the room next to hers.

"I come over," she replied and hung up. When she passed Hodgins lab she found that he had closed the blinds but one could hear him rant angrily. She shook her head and mentally went through the last evening, asking herself if maybe she was responsible for his mood.

After their baking orgy she had driven the teens back home and Michelle had stayed at their place while she had gone back to Hodgins place to check on him again. The poisoning seemed light and beside the headache he hadn't had any more symptoms. So she had curled up on the couch while he had done some paperwork for the Cantilever group and when he was finally done she had been asleep. He had woken her up and they had fallen into bed and slept right through until the alarm clock had rung. All in all she couldn't find a reason why any of that would put him into such a foul mood.

"Whoa, what happened here?" she asked when she saw Angela's decorated office. It was blinking and glittering from every corner of the room and for a moment Cam thought she stepped into Santa's storage room.

"I did a little decorating," Angela shrugged, like this craziness was normal.

"You don't think this is a bit… over the top?" she asked and laughed while she turned around one time to take it all in.

"Ok, maybe a little," Angela had to laugh as well now that she saw how her boss reacted to the blinking lights and tons of tinsel everywhere. "Check this out," she told Cam and pointed to a huge Santa figure in one corner of the room. Cam walked up to it and jumped when the Santa first whistled when she got close and then started to sing "Jingle Bells".

"Oh my god, this is craziness at its finest," she laughed out loud. "And they think I went crazy this year," she let slip and her eyes widened when she realized what she had said. If there had ever been a worst day to out herself and Hodgins at the lab, this was surely it. Angela wouldn't have noticed Cam's slip if it hadn't been for her reaction and so she had to prod, of course.

"Who is they?" she wanted to know with a teasing smile.

"You know Michelle, my crazy family…" Cam lied but Angela just nodded and seemed satisfied with the answer for now. Before the artist could think about asking more questions though Cam brought the conversation back to work related topics. "So, show me the clothes," she requested and Angela showed her the 3D model of the victim.

"So, what we thought were rivets on the clothing are actually piercings?" she asked when she saw the image. "How many did the guy have?"

"Too many if you ask me. About ten in each ear, then piercings in his nose, tongue, eyebrows, his lip, nipples and even two in his best friend," Angela summed it up.

"Ouch," Cam scrunched up her face. "Should be helpful to ID him though. Not many people walking around in DC looking like a colander."

"Oh, you'd be surprised just how many are out there," Angela grinned and laughed when she saw Cam's pained face. She stopped when Hodgins barged into her office without knocking or so much as a greeting and walked up to Cam, who was still standing sideways in front of the huge glass monitor.

"Here's your report," he said, pushed the folder into her hands with a grim expression and wanted to leave again. Angela raised her eyebrows at his attitude, but she had more important tasks at hand now.

"Hey, grumpy, you better stop right there," she told him and he actually did stop and turned around, looking annoyed.

"What?" he spat out and buried his hands deeper in the pockets of his lab coat.

"You better go back over there and then look up. You forgot something," she told him and pointed in Cam's direction. Cam immediately looked up, had a suspicion what would await her. And surely, there it was, the obligatory mistletoe. This was not good, she decided, no matter from which angle she looked at it.

Hodgins had looked up as well and looked at her for a moment before he began to shake his head from side to side.

"No," he said firmly and Cam had to admit that she was taken aback by his complete refusal to kiss her.

"Come on Jack, it's a tradition. I'm sure if you do it right Cam won't fire you," Angela teased him, still not understanding the level of his bad mood.

"I've tried to do it right for nearly five months now and still she assigned me that freakin' security guy. Next time you and Michelle want to bake: Do it in your own kitchen," he spoke, first to Angela then to Cam. Then he turned around and was gone the next second. Cam felt like he had just slapped her right in the face and looked down to her feet, took a deep breath. Had he just broken up with her?

"Oh my… you and Jack? Seriously?" Angela asked her then and she had to look up, saw the excitement written all over the artist's face.

"Uhm… yeah… although I don't really know what that just meant," she admitted and pointed with her index finger to the spot where he had just stood. She was too stunned to worry about gossip anymore. She had to sit down. In a daze she walked to Angela's couch and sat down.

"He's been in a mood all day Cam. I'm sure it doesn't mean anything," Angela replied and sat down on the armrest right next to her boss.

"Something is going on and I don't know what. He's been that way since he woke up this morning," she replied and shook her head, tried again to figure out what she could have done.

"Most likely he's just having a bad day," Angela reassured her and then grinned. "And I can't believe you just said 'since he woke up'," she added.

"I think I'm gonna go and talk to him. If he keeps this up he will kill the poor security guard before the day is over," Cam excused herself and left the grinning artist behind.

"Don't think you get out of telling me how that happened," Angela called after her with a smile, but Cam just waved her off.

When she reached Jack's lab she found it empty and so was his work station by the platform.

"Hey Joe, where is he? And shouldn't you be with him?" she asked the young security guard when she saw him patrolling around the platform.

"He went home, so I thought I'd just go back to my usual work," he replied and she nodded.

"Ok, thank you," she said, her forehead wrinkled with worry, her eyebrows drawn close together.

"Hey, uhm, Dr. Saroyan? Is it possible that you assign someone else to the supervision of Dr. Hodgins tomorrow? I don't mean to complain or anything, but that guy's a freak and a scary one," Joe asked timidly.

"It's ok, Joe. I'll see what I can do." She managed a small smile and made her way back to her office.

She spend the next hours wondering about Hodgins' mood, worrying about their relationship, obsessing about every word she had said to him during the last 24 hours and trying to ignore the uneasy feeling in her stomach, that made it cramp and ache. She got little work done and when it was time and she could finally go home as well, she wasn't sure where she should go. Should she drive to her place, forget everything that had happened and hope that he'd be in a better mood tomorrow? Or should she drive to his place and confront him? She went with the second option.

~*~

His cars were all parked in the open garage and there was light in his office, so he must be home. She couldn't decide if she should ring the bell or let herself in with her key, like she usually did. She stayed in the car for a moment until she had made up her mind. She should behave as normal as possible, she decided, and unlocked the door with her key. She took off her heels like she always did and placed her handbag in its usual spot on the small table beside the telephone. Next she took off her jacket and hung it over the back of the chair by the table.

She took a deep breath, steeled herself for whatever would await her and then knocked on his office door before she opened it. The smell of alcohol hit her nostrils along with the scent of the burning wood in the fireplace. She saw his arm propped up on the armrest of the armchair that stood in front of the fireplace. Quietly she closed the door behind her and walked into the room and around the chair so she could see him.

He was staring into the flames, but looked up when he saw her, his expression changing from sad to mad in a split second.

"What are you doing here?" he asked with venom in his voice.

"The usual. Workday is over and here I am," she shrugged and tried not to show how hurt she was by his attitude.

"This is not your house. You don't wanna live here, so go home and leave me alone," he replied and downed the rest of whatever alcoholic beverage was in his glass.

"You want me to give back your key as well?" she asked, masking the pain with anger.

"Do whatever you want," he shrugged, got up and walked to the bar to pour himself another drink. When he sat back down she was still standing in the exact spot and kept looking at him.

"What's going on Jack? If you don't want to be with me anymore for whatever reason then just say it. But don't sit here and snap at me or stomp around at work," she asked sadly and saw something flicker in his eyes that convinced her that this wasn't about them, but about something else. He remained silent, just sipped his Scotch and stared into the flames again. He didn't look angry anymore. He looked sad… lost.

She decided to take a leap of faith when she pushed his hand out of the way and sat down sideways in his lap. Next she took the glass out of his hand and placed it on the table beside the armchair. He didn't argue with her and he didn't push her away which she took as a good sign. She was more than surprised though when he suddenly wrapped his arms around her and hugged her nearly desperately to him, burying his face on her neck. She let him have this embrace, which he obviously needed and rested her cheek against his hair and rubbed over his shoulders.

"I'm sorry," she felt him say against her neck in what sounded like a sob.

"Baby, what's going on?" she asked him again, really worried by now. "Is it anything I said? Did we annoy you yesterday with the baking? Or is this still about us not moving in?" she questioned. These were simply the only things she could come up with. She felt him take a deep breath before he looked up at her, but didn't loosen the hold on her. His eyes were sad but dry and she waited for him to say something.

"This has nothing to do with you and I'm _so_ sorry I took it out on you," he told her honestly. "Forgive me?" he asked. She gave him a small smile and kissed him softly in reply.

"Ok, and now spill," she told him when pulled back and snuggled up to him.

"Eleven years to the day there was a huge Christmas party here. One of these fancy ones, but with lots and lots of alcohol and drunken rich people. All my buddies where here, my fiancée and we had a blast. My parents had left for Aspen earlier that day and I used the opportunity to throw a gigantic party," he started to recount and Cam listened quietly, just stroked with her fingers over his neck to show him she was listening.

"I was already wasted when the police showed up and I thought that some dumbass neighbor had complained about the noise, but they told me that my parents and my sister had been in a car accident. Icy streets, my dad driving too fast. The car crashed against a tree and they were all dead," he went on like he was talking about a movie he had seen. His eyes had welled up with tears but they didn't spill. Cam remained silent although it surprised her that he had had a sister.

"I didn't really understand what they had told me. I went back to the party had some more beer and then went to search for Clarissa. I found her in one of the guest rooms in bed with my best friend," he said and raised his eyebrows.

"Oh my god," Cam exclaimed wide eyed.

"What a night, huh? I went back downstairs, drank until I passed out. The next morning I woke up on the kitchen floor in a puddle of vomit and thought that I had just imagined it all. But when I switched on the TV after I had showered and cleaned up a bit, it was already all over the news. They showed the car wreck, pictures of my parents and my sister, of the hospital and the ambulance," he shrugged and placed a kiss on her forehead before he went on. "That's why this day always puts a damper on my mood. Usually I try to stay away from everyone, take the day off to go skiing or something. I feel better when I am away from here that day," he shrugged.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked him softly.

"I thought I'd have it under control this year. I'm happy. I have you and Michelle, the people at the lab. There's a gigantic Christmas tree in my living room and the whole house is decorated and smells like cookies. Seems like it didn't work out," he told her and looked her in the eyes. "I'm really sorry."

"You should tell me stuff like that, Jack, even if it makes us both sad. But you shouldn't burry this and then implode once a year," she lectured him softly.

"I don't like talking about it, it just brings me down and this time should be happy, right?" he replied.

"Yeah, it should be, but you should not just pretend to be happy. Because you snapping at me that way had me worried that you were breaking up with me and that wasn't exactly uplifting," Cam told him with a small smile.

"I'm not breaking up with you, how can you think that? I love you," he said insistently, looking her right in the eyes.

"I love you, too. So just talk to me, ok?" she replied. He nodded slowly and kissed her then. His lips were warm and familiar on hers and he still tasted like scotch. She felt his tongue glide slowly into her mouth when he framed her face with his hands and pulled her closer to him, their noses rubbing against each other.

"What can I do to make you feel better?" she asked him and leaned her forehead against his.

"You just did," he grinned and she noticed that his eyes were sparkling wit happiness suddenly. All that because of a simple kiss, she wondered. "You just told me the first time that you love me, that's a damn good memory to add to that date if you ask me," he grinned at her. She looked puzzled for a moment, because she hadn't realized that she had told him she loved him. It had felt natural to say it back this time, so natural that she didn't even notice. until now every time he had told her she had just smiled at him or had kissed him, she had to admit. But it was true, she was in love with him.

"Anything else I can do?" she asked with a smile when it had sunk in what milestone in their relationship they had just passed.

"Can we go over to your place, cook dinner with Michelle and just curl up on the couch?" he asked after he had thought about it for a moment.

"If that's what you want, sure," she replied surprised. She had thought more along the lines of getting drunk together or make passionate love all night right there in his office.

"Don't worry, I'll ravish you later once the alcohol wears off," he told her with a mischievous grin, knowing what she had been thinking. Cam just laughed out loud and he pulled her in his arms again, concentrated on the sound of her laughter and the feeling of her soft, warm body against his. Definitely good memories, he decided.

**End of part 4**


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 5: Christmas shopping with a friend called Booth**

„When did we say we'd leave?" Hodgins asked as he walked into Cam's office without knocking or waiting for a reply. The door was open after all, so he just waltzed right in.

"Geez, Hodgins, you almost gave me a heart attack," she exclaimed and put one hand on her chest, the other still holding a scalpel.

"Sorry," he grinned and walked further into the room. "And? Strangulation?" he asked and pointed with his chin at the dead body, hands placed on his hips. He stood directly in front of the autopsy table and looked down at the corpse that lay there, chest spread wide open and the top of the head missing.

"Nope, drowning. Lungs are full of water," she shook her head. "And I think we said five, so the shops wouldn't be as crowded," she answered his first question and placed the scalpel on the tray next to her. "Why?" she asked then, knowing that there must be a reason for his question.

"I just tossed some maggot juice into the gas chromatograph and that'll take a while," he shrugged, walked over to the black couch in her office and sat down, propped his legs up on the small glass table in front of it.

"You don't have anything else to do?" she asked him pointedly, knowing he would most likely just hover in her office watching her work.

"Nope," he grinned and crossed his arms over his chest, making it clear that he wouldn't leave anytime soon. She just shook her head and finished the autopsy while he flipped through some magazines that were stacked by the couch. From time to time she could feel his eyes on her.

"Sooo, you already know what you're going to get me?" he asked her after a while when she was stitching the guy back up.

"Yes, I do. And no, I'm not going to tell you," she winked at him just when she was done with her work. She pulled up the white sheet over the corpse, then walked over to the sink and threw her gloves in the trash. She heard him getting up and felt him walking up to her. He loosened the knot that held her plastic apron together on her back and then ripped the thing off of her.

"Always wanted to do that," he laughed and threw it in the trash. He didn't step back from her when she washed her hands but just waited for her to turn around. When she did, his arms sneaked around her waist and pulled her flush against him.

"We said we wouldn't do that here, remember?" she asked him with one raised eyebrow, although she really didn't mind.

"Yeah, so no one would find out. But I spilled the beans with Angela in the room yesterday, so you can be sure that everyone knows about us by now," he replied and grinned when she wrapped her arms around his middle, contradicting her reluctant words.

"You really think she did? She didn't even come to me and press me for details. Actually, now that I think of it I haven't seen her all day," she said and wrinkled her forehead.

"Because she was too busy running around telling everyone, no doubt," he chuckled.

"You really should have waited until I was with someone else to have your freak-out," she laughed with him.

"It's not like we really wanted it to be a secret anyway," he shrugged and lowered his lips to hers in a soft kiss.

"True," she nodded before they leaned in again. Her hand sneaked up to his neck and pulled him closer and only when her hips pressed into the sink behind her did she realize that he had walked her backwards. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his tongue dancing with hers when suddenly someone cleared his throat. They didn't jump apart but just slowly broke the kiss. They were past the point of being flustered when someone walked in on them kissing. It had happened so often with Michelle that they were somewhat used to it. They both turned their heads in the direction of the cough and found Booth standing in the doorway next to Angela. While the artist grinned cheekily Booth just looked shocked, he hadn't expected this at all.

"That's what I wanted to tell you when you cut me off," Angela told him with a laugh when she saw his expression.

"Camille?" he croaked, a helpless expression on his face, his eyes wide.

"Next time you better listen when she wants to tell you something, Seeley" Cam just quipped and made Hodgins chuckle. She could feel his laughter vibrating against her own body because they had yet to let go of each other.

"A squint? Really?" Booth asked, still the same unbelieving look on his face.

"Watch it, man! You might be stronger than me, but I have the money to just make you disappear," Hodgins threatened him jokingly, but not as jokingly as Cam would have liked.

"Are you two going to start a fistfight now? Then please take off your shirts first, wouldn't want them ruined," Angela teased and walked into Cam's office.

"Down boys," Cam laughed, clearly amused by the situation. She stepped back from Hodgins who only let her go unwillingly, and then opened her autopsy jacket and took it off. She wore the violet shirt underneath that she had chosen in the morning, because it went well with her new heels. "Was there anything you wanted, Booth?" she turned to him again after throwing the jacket into the laundry basket.

"Yeah, wanted to ask you if can help me go Christmas shopping for Pops and Bones," he nodded, still eying Hodgins. "Maybe go for a drink later."

"When? Now?" she asked surprised and he nodded. "Sorry, but me and Jack already have plans," she declined apologetically. "Maybe tomorrow?"

"I have meetings tomorrow," he shook his head. "What are you doing today?" he wanted to know curiously.

"We're hitting the mall. Christmas shopping for Michelle and Cam's family," Hodgins supplied.

"Oh, great. I'll just come along," Booth switched on his 1000 watt smile and made Cam groan. "When are we leaving?"

"Oh, this is gonna be good. Can I come, too, just to watch? You won't even notice I'm there," Angela asked amused and Cam narrowed her eyes at her.

"At five," she told Booth then, speaking slowly. "But…" she started to add something, but he cut her off.

"Five, great. Meet you by the car," the FBI agent grinned and strolled out before they could protest.

"Oh , man, way to ruin my date," Hodgins exclaimed in frustration what made Angela laugh and Cam look sympathetically at him.

~*~

"You're late," Hodgins grumbled when Booth finally showed up ten after five.

"I was on time, I was just waiting by my car," Booth replied and pointed to the other end of the underground parking space.

"Why would we take your car?" the entomologist asked huffily.

"Because it's bigger," Booth retorted.

"Boys, please! If you let down your pants now to compare sizes, I'm gonna scream," Cam said unnerved, after she had watched their little exchange.

"My date, my car, my woman, so I drive," Hodgins told Booth, ignoring Cams comment and made her sigh deeply.

"Actually it's my car," she threw in, just for good measure.

"Nearly the same thing by now, babe" Hodgins grinned at her and unlocked the car by pressing the button on the key with a big gesture. Like it was natural Booth walked up to the passenger's seat, but this time Cam stopped him.

"Uhuh, Seeley, my spot. You wanted to come along so deal with the backseat," she grinned. Honestly she didn't care if she sat up front or in the back, but the thought of these two arguing over the radio station and the right temperature for the air conditioning made her head hurt.  
With some grumbling from Booth they all got in the car and Hodgins pulled out of the garage. As usual he took her hand in his at one point and rested them on the middle console between them. Over the months it had become a habit and neither realized it anymore. That was until Booth tipped Hodgins on the shoulder from behind.

"You know, one should always drive with both hands on the wheel. Much safer," he offered his unwanted advice and stared at their joined hands.

"Shut up, Booth!" Hodgins replied and gripped her hand a bit tighter.

~*~

The drive to the mall seemed endless and Cam took a deep breath of the cold air when she got out of the car. If Booth would keep picking at Hodgins she would most likely kill him, even before Hodgins would explode. It was typical for Seeley, that he would test Hodgins resolve, now that he had got close to her. In Booths world there were two kinds of people: "others" and "mine". And unfortunately for Hodgins she still belonged to his "mine" category, which meant that he would test Hodgins, question his intentions and try to threaten him as much as he could. It was his way of protecting those he loved and she should have felt honored, but actually she was feeling more annoyed.

"What do you say: Sports store first? Get something for Parker and your dad?" Booth grinned and had the nerve of wrapping one arm around her shoulders, while Hodgins locked the car. Her death stare let him take away the arm quickly again and she was glad that Hodgins hadn't noticed this move. He just walked up to them and wrapped his arm around her waist and she did the same.

"Where do you wanna go first?" he asked her, oblivious to Booths words before.

"How about the sports store?" she proposed with a sideway glance at Booth who started to grin again.

"Sure, " Hodgins just shrugged and they made their way into the mall, with Booth on their heels.

~*~

"What about this one?" Hodgins asked Cam and held up another sweater. It was pink, had the Yankees sign on the front and looked about the right size.

"It's cute," Cam nodded and took it from him. "I'm just not sure which team she likes," she added.

"No idea," Hodgins shrugged clueless.

"Hey look at this! Wouldn't that be the perfect gift for your dad?" Booth showed up behind them and ended their discussion. He held up a package that contained a small indoor golf simulator for the TV.

"I already bought the new and revised atlas for him. That was expensive enough if you ask me," Cam replied and placed the pink sweater over her arm, deciding that she would take it for Michelle.

"Not for you, for me," the agent explained making Cam and Hodgins look at each other and raise their eyebrows.

"Why would you buy my dad a Christmas gift?" she wanted to know when she looked back at her crazy friend.

"You know for when we go to the annual Christmas craziness. You need your _guy,_" he grinned and nudged her shoulder with his

"Yeah, I need my _guy_, that's why Hodgins is coming on Saturday," Cam replied.

"Aw, so you finally told him that we're not together anymore? After all those years," he sighed. "Makes me sad somehow. Maybe I'll still come, it's a good tradition after all," he added, that cocky smile on his face again. Hodgins didn't say anything but Cam could see that he was clenching his jaw dangerously and looked to his feet, obviously concentrating on not exploding.

"Seeley, can I talk to you for a second?" she asked Booth in a bittersweet tone.

"Sure, I'm listening," he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Outside," she ordered dangerously and the turned to Hodgins. "Can you pay for the sweater and the cap and then meet us outside?" she asked him in a much softer tone and handed him the sweater, a woolen cap and her purse with the money.

"Sure," he replied and she pecked him on the lips before she dragged Booth out of the store by his arm.

"Would you let go of me now?" Booth laughed when she pulled him by the arm into a quiet corner outside the store. She let go of him but pushed against his chest which animated him to let himself fall into the wall behind him exaggeratedly.

"What do you think you're doing, Seeley?" she hissed.

"I'm Christmas shopping, Camille," he replied cockily.

"Don't play dumb, you know what I'm talking about. Stop picking at Jack!" she requested firmly.

"Jack, huh?" he snorted. "Seriously, what is this Camille? All of a sudden you're falling for the squint with the conspiracy fantasies? Ever thought that maybe it's just Christmas and the fact that you're feeling lonely" he asked then, the playfulness gone.

"I would kick your ass Booth, if we weren't in public," she replied angrily. They glared at each other for a moment until she took a deep breath and decided that honesty would probably work best with him. "I love him, Seeley. No, let me re-phrase: I'm in love with him. And this isn't a recent thing; we've been together for nearly five months now. Michelle likes him and he asked us to move in with him," she said much calmer.

"Wow," Booth sounded stunned. "You're gonna do it?"

"Michelle and I talked about it and we decided that we will at some point, some point soon," she nodded. "But don't tell him, he doesn't know yet," she smiled. Booth looked at her and couldn't help but smile back.

"You look happy," he admitted.

"I am. So stop annoying us, ok?" she grinned.

"Ok, I'm on my best behavior now. Promise," he replied and they hugged quickly and pulled apart just as Hodgins came around the corner. He looked grimly at Booth, but relaxed when Cam walked up to him and kissed him before she slung her arm around his waist and leaned into him.

"What's next?" he just asked and a look of understanding passed between him and Booth.

~*~

"Ok, guys, why don't you go and grab a coffee or something while I do the rest of my shopping?" she asked them and pointed to the sign that announced the food corner.

"Why can't we come?" Hodgins asked her and pulled her closer by her shoulders.

"Yeah, why can't we come?" Booth repeated and looked at her with the same pouty expression as Hodgins.

"You really wanna hit Victoria's Secrets with me?" she asked them and laughed.

"Absolutely," Hodgins grinned widely and his eyes lit up.

"Uh, no we don't," Booth disagreed and looked flustered. "Come on Hodgins, let's get something to drink," he said then, gripping his neck from behind and led him away from his laughing girlfriend, knowing that Cam would most likely buy her own personal presents for the lucky bastard.

"So, Cam tells me this has been going on for a while," Booth says as they are waiting in line to get their coffee.

"Four months, seventeen days and" Hodgins checked his watch, "seven hours."

"Lunch break?" Booth asked.

"Lunch break," Hodgins nodded with a telling smile.

"She's one of my best friends, Hodgins, and I've known her for a long time now," Booth started when they sat down at a table.

"Oh, here comes the speech," Hodgins grinned.

"Just treat her right. She deserves to be happy," Booth made it quick and Hodgins nodded.

"You have any advice on her family? What I know about them so far makes me kind of nervous," he asked then.

"Make her happy to impress her grandmother, talk sports and TV to get on her father's good side, compliment the "kids" and her aunt will love you, although said kids are older than you and just stay away as far as possible from Felicia. She's trouble," Booth told him and they toasted with their mugs.

~*~

"So you and Booth seemed to get along a bit too well for my taste at the end of the shopping trip," Cam said before she pulled her shirt over her head and threw it on her bed. They had come back to her place that evening, because his car was still at her place from the night before.

"Afraid we'll compare notes?" he grinned when he walked out of the bathroom, dressed only in his boxer shorts.

"With you I would be, but Booth is too much of a prude for that," she teased.

"Hey, and I'm too much of a gentleman," he protested and wrapped his arms around her from behind after she had stepped out of her skirt.

"Sorry, my fault," she replied and tilted her head to the side to give him easier access to her neck.

"Want to show me what you bought during your alone time, today?" he asked and kissed up to her ear, his warm breath washing over her skin.

"No, it's a surprise," she replied and smiled when he pulled the clip out of her hair that held her chignon together. "You always do that," she said.

"I love your hair," he whispered in her ear and turned her around to him by her hips. "I love you," he added before he kissed her lips.

"I love you, too," she replied and kissed him again. "Isn't it incredibly cheesy that we've been saying it several times during the day now? I only confessed yesterday," she asked when they broke apart and got into bed.

"Yeah, we're sickening," he laughed and pulled her in his arms under the covers. "But I love it." This was the last coherent sentence either of them spoke for the night, because his lips were back on hers and they were done talking- with words at least.

**End of part 5**


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter is way shorter and much more random than the rest, for two reasons: 1. I had NO idea what to write whatsoever and 2. 'Dirty moments' chapter 6 is awaiting my attention impatiently. I haven't looked at the poor thing in weeks and it's time that I do. This one needs a lot of attention, although it's a pain in the a**.**

** Part 6: The Advent calendar**

„Hey Cam, do you know where Brennan is? " Angela asked when she stepped into the pathologist's office around noon.

"I think she went out with Booth, at least I saw him here earlier," she replied and just looked up shortly from the report she was just reading through. She signed it and placed it on a stack with other reports on the left side of her desk and was surprised when the artist was still there when she looked up again.

"Yes Angela?" she asked, pen still poised so she could move on to the next report.

"You know you still owe me two life altering stories, don't you?" Angela said and sat down on the chair on the opposite site of Cam's desk.

"I have to admit that I wasn't aware of that," Cam replied and smiled, knowing already what the artist wanted to know.

"Now you are, so start talking," Angela grinned back.

"What do you want to know?" Cam asked unnecessarily and placed then pen on the desk, knowing that she wouldn't get anything else done.

"Everything," the excited reply came. "And don't leave out any details, I want know them all; When it started, how it started, where it started… Oh, and when you get there I want detailed report of the shopping trip yesterday," she elaborated.  
Cam laughed again, this time an embarrassed laugh. She knew she wouldn't get out easy but neither was she willing to give all information to her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend.

"Ange'", would you just leave her alone," Hodgins voice came from the doorway and Cam breathed out in relief. He had heard the catalogue of questions and saw how uncomfortable Cam was.

"Jack, great! So you can tell the story together," Angela smiled brightly, enjoying this way too much. He made his way to Cam and stood behind her chair. She looked up to him without turning around, relief shining in her eyes.

"You're here for lunch?" she asked him.

"Yes, and Michelle told me to tell you that she and Perry are going ice-skating tonight and she asks if we want to come along," he replied.

"She wants to go on a double date with you? That's just too cute and you should feel honored," Angela told them, but they kept looking at each other. Cam turned her chair around to face him when her neck started to ache.

"When did you see Michelle?" she asked him instead of replying.

"Oh, you know, she just called me," he shrugged innocently. "Since when does Michelle call you?"

"Aaah, intrigue," Angela commented.

"We had something to discuss," he said and couldn't stop himself from grinning, knowing that she was aware of the fact now that they were up to something.

"I will let this one slide just because I think it has something to do with Christmas," Cam replied. "And I'm not sure when I can leave today, I have a board- meeting at three. Did she mention a time?" she asked.

"No, she didn't," he shook his head.

"I'll call her and ask," Cam decided.

"Ok. So lunch now?" he asked and sounded impatient.

"Yes, let's go before Brennan and Booth come back," she nodded and got up. He took her coat from the back of her chair and helped her in. Only when Angela cleared her throat they remembered that she was still in the room.

"Thanks for inviting me to come along, I appreciate the offer but I have to decline," she laughed at the two of them and the deer in headlights look they both had.

"Sorry Angela, but we have to, uhm, pick up some stuff for Michelle. Tomorrow, ok?" Cam said and waved at Angela and grabbed her purse while Hodgins already pulled her out of her office. Angela just shook her head and laughed. She knew that look on Jack's face.

~*~

"Oh my god," Cam exclaimed and fell back against the hotel bed. Jack came up by her side and leaned over her, smiling just as widely as she was.

"Good lunch break, huh?" he laughed and kissed her.

"Amazing lunch break," she agreed and pulled him down to her to kiss him again.

"But we have to hurry back now," she added disappointedly.

"You're the boss, can't you come up with some excuse?" he asked and trapped her in his arms when she wanted to get up.

"Because that wouldn't be suspicious," she rolled her eyes and basked in his embrace for a moment, but then untangled from him and got up.

"I think we should stop by the diner on the way back and pick up some sandwiches," he got out of bed as well and searched his clothes, threw her bra over to her when he found it under his jeans.

"Good idea… you seem to have a lot of those lately," she said and turned around to him and zipped her skirt.

"I guess that means you liked the note in your Advent calendar," he grinned smugly and pulled his belt through the loops on his jeans.

"I loved it! What's better than knowing first thing in the morning that you'll get lucky during lunch break?" she laughed and buttoned her blouse.

"Will there be any more love notes in the socks?" she wanted to know.

"Maybe," he grinned and shrugged.

"So I better don't tell Michelle to go ahead and eat the candy in my Christmas socks?" she laughed.

"I'd say it's better if you don't," he shook his head and zipped up his hoodie.

"You know, no one has ever made me an Advent calendar and no one has ever written me little love notes every day," she told him , her tone making it clear how much she appreciated it.

"I have something to make up for," he shrugged and looked serious.

"What are you talking about?" She really had no idea what he was talking about.

"I'm really sorry how I treated you on my 'dark day'. If you hadn't been so amazing this could have backfired horribly," he said and pulled her to him.

"One: by the time you hung up all those socks in my bedroom you didn't know that you would screw up and two: I told you it's ok. There will most likely come a day when I won't treat you well," she replied and let him kiss her. When the kiss started to heat up and his hands slipped underneath her blouse she stopped him though.

"Dr. Hodgins, we have to get back to work," she said and laughed when he sighed exaggeratedly.

"Just so you know: Angela will be waiting for you, so use the drive back wisely and think of some excuse to get rid of her," he said and opened the door of the hotel room. They had to leave their love nest and get back to the real world, where a curious Angela would await them. ****

End of part 6


	7. Chapter 7

**Part 7: The romantic thing to do**

Standing in the middle of the frozen lake he watched her. He had stopped skating a while ago when he noticed that she wasn't following him. He found her standing by the fence, clinging to it. The snow fell around them but she wasn't moving. She had followed him out on the frozen lake and now she just stood there. She kept stroking strands of hair behind her ears or off her face when the wind messed with her hair. The strands kept sticking to her lips that shimmered with the rosy lip gloss she had applied. The ice glistening underneath his feet he glided over to her and stopped beside her.

"I'm cold, can we go home?" she asked her right hand catching strands of hair again and stroking them back over her shoulder.

"You haven't skated yet," he replied and cocked his head to the side, curiosity shimmering in his eyes.

"I don't feel sportive today," she shook her head, the melted snow flakes sparkling in the light the moon and the sparse lamps around the sea provided.

"Sportive?" he repeated confused. They had come out to the sea to have a nice time on the ice, not to race each other. Because of her meeting they hadn't been able to make it to the sea with Michelle and Perry the day before. They had both been disappointed, Hodgins especially because he loved ice-skating. Cam had surprised him after work by telling him they would go tonight, just the two of them. She knew the owner of the ice-rink and he left it open for them a bit longer when everyone else was gone.

"Mmh," was her only reply before her eyes wandered over the frozen lake.

"Is it possible that you don't know how to skate?" he asked suspiciously when she avoided looking at him.

"Oh please, I grew up in New York. Ice- skating in Central park was a tradition," she huffed, still focusing on the sea.

"Was?! When was the last time you went?" he knew that one needed to pay attention to every word she said in order to decipher the hidden messages. This time the "was" stood out to him.

She took a deep breath and it mixed in a blur of white with the snowflakes in front of her face. "I was eleven the last time I went," she admitted and he smiled because he knew he had hit the bulls eye.

"And you fell," it was more a statement than a question.

"I fell. Broke my wrist and had a concussion and a laceration on my forehead," she confirmed.

"Oh, that's where the small scar comes from," he nodded and touched her forehead gently with his gloved hand. She leaned into his touch when is hand glided down and cupped her cheek. For a moment she pressed her lips to his palm.

"And now you're scared," he said then.

"No, I'm not! Why would I be.. that's childish and..." he caught her eyes, "Ok, yes I am;" she admitted and lowered her eyes. Slowly he leaned in and kissed her softly, his lips lingering on hers.  
When pulled back he took her hands in his, took the one that still grasped the fence. She had cold hands, he could feel that through both of the gloves and hoped that his warm hands would warm up her cold ones. He looked back over his shoulder to make sure nothing was in the way, then he pulled at her hands.

"No, Jack, please," she whined and leaned back against the fence, refusing to come with him. He gave her hands a squeeze.

"You trust me?" The blue of his eyes striking in the dim light and with the white snow in the background.

"Of course I do," she said without hesitation.

"Just a few steps, we're not going far," he insisted and she let him pull her onto the ice. Slowly he made his way over the frozen lake, her hands gripping his tightly, her warm brown eyes never leaving his.

"See, that wasn't so bad," he said when they reached the middle of the lake.

"You said just a few steps," she complained and looked over her shoulder to the shore.

"Come here, scaredy-cat," he grinned and hugged her to him.

"Am not," she pouted like a little kid and made him laugh.

"I just wanted to give you something out here, because it's a romantic thing to do," he whispered into her ear. He pressed his warm lips to the cold shell of her ear.

"It would have been romantic out there as well," she muttered against his shoulder.

"Spoil-sport, will you just let me do this?!," he chuckled and pulled back from her. She looked at him expectantly and a bit frightened.

"No need to freak out, I won't go down on one knee," he grinned when he saw her expression. She laughed quietly and rolled her eyes.  
"Ok, listen, let me finish and speak when I'm done, ok?" he requested and she nodded, amusement written all over her face. He took a deep breath and then pulled something out of his jacket pocket. He held out his hand to show her and held up one hand when she opened her mouth to speak.  
"Shush, first I speak," he lectured her lovingly. In his palm lay two keys, each of them attached to a key ring pendant that looked like a snowflake. It was crystal and reflected the moonlight in all different colors right there in his hand. "I know that you don't want to move in yet and I accept that. Not without some grumbling, but I accept it. Still, I think you and Michelle should have your own keys to my place. You're using my spare key now, but I want you to have your own. For one because I think it's romantic, the other reason is that my maid is complaining that she has to show up before I leave for work so I can let her in," he admitted and they both had to laugh.  
"So just take these, give one to Michelle and keep the other and know that you are both welcome any time," he finished and placed the keys in her palm and closed her fingers over them.  
She looked down to their hands, his fingers still wrapped over hers and smiled, the nodded.

"Can I speak now?" she asked and had to clear her throat, clearly touched by his gesture.

"Yes." She looked at him and cocked her head to the side, mischief flickering in her eyes.

"Actually, I think I don't want to speak," she said and closed the distance between them. She told him what she wanted him to know without words, in a long, silent speech.

"Can I unlock the door with my new shiny key when we're home?" she asked with childlike excitement when he pulled her back to the shore.

"Sure," he grinned, her words causing a gentle warmth to spread in his chest. She hadn't noticed that she had called his place "home", the place where she didn't want to live just yet. However he did notice and jubilated quietly on the inside.

**End of part 7**


	8. Chapter 8

**Part 8: The final countdown**

They had been sitting there for the last fifteen minutes, engine turned off, feet slowly getting cold. The two ladies weren't moving and he knew that they would most likely spend the night in the car if he wouldn't push them to finally budge.

"Can we go in now? The windows are already fogged," he said and looked to his right.

"Believe me the longer we stay out here the better," she replied and shivered in the cold car.

"And if you think it's cold out here then wait until Cam's two aunts meet each other. This is tropical compared to it," Michelle provided and Cam nodded in agreement.

"Your father said seven, now it's a quarter to eight and we're still sitting here. I won't be able to make a good first impression if we show up an hour late. Not that I get exactly why we're celebrating 5 days early," he protested.

"I told you it's not necessary to make a good impression. We go in there, get drunk, make it somehow through dinner and then Michelle will drive us home," Cam said like it was the most obvious thing."And that 5 days early thing was something my mother started. Precaution so the family wouldn't ruin the actual Christmas day."

" I'm not gonna get drunk," he laughed it off.

"Oh, I would get blasted if I were allowed to drink," Michelle said with the deepest conviction.

"You're not, so don't even think about going near the eggnog," Cam told her and then sighed deeply.

"Can we go now?" Hodgins asked impatiently and decided that he had enough now. He opened the car door and stepped outside, then walked around the vehicle and opened Cam's and Michelle's doors. With some more grumbling and muttering they finally made it out of the car at least. With another deep breath Cam finally found the courage to walk up to her grandmother's house. They had nearly reached the porch when she stopped him by taking his hand.

"Hey Jack?" she asked and timidly. Camille Saroyan and timid, two things he had thought wouldn't go together.

"Yah?" he replied and looked at her.

"Just remember that I love you, ok? No matter what they say or do," she told him, her eyes big and worried.

"I know that, Cam," he nodded.

"And promise me you'll go home with us tonight," she requested.

"I promise... again. I told you this three times already," he smiled but rolled his eyes.

"Oh, you don't know yet what you're in for," Michelle laughed humorlessly.

"Please, ladies, can we just go in now? I hadn't planned on freezing to death out here," he sighed unnerved and pulled Cam up the porch steps, Michelle following them. Not thinking twice about it he rang the doorbell.

"This is the final countdown.. dadadada dadadadada," Michelle sang quietly and Cam turned around and shot her a look that shut her up. Hodgins just shook his head and gave Cam's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Camille, Michelle, there you are," Felicia greeted them when she opened the door a second later. Her smile got lascivious when she saw Hodgins, her eyes wandering over his body. At that moment he was glad that he had decided to wear his long grey coat, otherwise he would have felt really naked under her gaze. "Everyone, Cam's here with Michelle and her newest stud," she yelled into the house and Cam flinched visibly. That seemed to start a riot in the house. Before they were let in, at least thirty people squished themselves together in front of the door, all wanting to get a look on Hodgins, who just waved. He had to admit that the cold car didn't sound too bad after all.

~*~

"You know, someone should make a movie about your family. Robert deNiro doesn't even come close to what your dad is like! You're sure he didn't put any bugs in our clothes?" Hodgins slurred while he and Cam sat on her bed, still dressed in coats and shoes, just the way Michelle had dropped them off there.

"No, I'm not sure. Maybe you should check your coat," she replied and watched him when he searched his collar and the several pockets.

"Felicia surprised me tonight. She was on her best behavior," Cam said when he was done.

"I'm sorry?" he gaped at her. "How many times did I have to slap her hands off my thighs?"

"At least she didn't stick her tongue down your throat in front of everyone, that's progress," Cam shrugged.

"But you know what was actually funny? When your aunts got into the fist fight in the living-room and crashed into the Christmas tree," he laughed.

"They do that every year. That's why my grandma has this ugly plastic tree and not a real one," Cam shrugged unimpressed.

"And when your second cousin tried to hook up with your sister that was pretty funny as well," he added.

"Sooo.." she said and raised her eyebrows.

"So?" he asked and raised his as well, not knowing what she was alluding to.

"You're here, with us. Does that mean that our relationship survived the baptism of fire? Or are you just too drunk to run?" she asked what she wanted to know.

"I guess we both survived just barely, but if we go down, we go down together," he replied with a nod. He looked at her when she remained silent.

"You ok?" he asked her.

"I'm gonna be sick," she ground out before she dashed into the bathroom to dispose of the eggnog, scotch and vodka she had consumed.

"And I thought my family was bad," he mumbled before he got up slowly and followed her into the bathroom to check on her.

**End of part 8**


	9. Chapter 9

**Part 9: Reading out loud**

He stepped into her apartment and found her sitting on the couch, a cup of tea on the table in front of her and an old book in her hands. Her legs were covered with a light blue fleece blanket, a small smile on her face.

"Hey babe," he greeted her while he took off his shoes and jacket and kissed her temple.

"Hey," she replied and looked up.

"You dropped her off?" she asked and her shoulders relaxed now that he was home safe.

"Yup, the roads weren't too bad actually," he shrugged and sat down beside her. He took the cup from the table and sipped the hot and sweet liquid. She always put way too much sugar in it for his taste.

"The can is in the kitchen. I put it on the teapot-warmer, so it should still be hot," she smiled when he scrunched up his face at the sweetness.

"Why don't you just pour some hot water into the sugar bowl?" he shook his head and fetched himself a cup of tea in the kitchen, then sat back down again.

"What are you reading?" he wanted to know and put his right foot under his thigh to sit more comfortably. Curiously he looked at the book and wrapped one arm around her shoulders.

"Little Lord Fauntleroy," she replied and showed him the book.

"Last night I remembered that I still have it and so I started looking for it today and found it with my mother's old book." Pretty drawings were set in between the text passages.

"That was my favorite book when I was a kid," he admitted and took the book out of her hands. He flipped trough it carefully, worried that the old pages would tear. "I had one like this, same edition, but I have no idea where it is." He looked wistfully at the pages in front of him and she leaned into him so she could see them with him.

"I can't believe we had the same favorite book as kids. I would have pecked you more for the Robinson Crusoe kind of guy," she replied quietly.

"No. I always hoped that if I would act like him my parents would change like the Earl. So I gave away my shiny new He-man action figure to one of my classmates, who really wanted to have one," he chuckled.

"And? Did it help?" she smiled.

"I got grounded for a week because I was ungrateful enough to give away my new toys and Adam got grounded because his father was very religious and refused to have any other icons in his house," he replied laughingly. She couldn't believe how cute he was and kissed his cheek and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I always wanted more the grandfather, you know one with money and a huge castle," she admitted with a wink.

"Well, I'm no grandfather but my house is pretty big," he nodded with a teasing glint in his eyes.

"You wanna read with me?" she asked him when he kept the book, his eyes skimming over the text.

"Read with you or read it out to you?" he smiled warmly at her.

"The second option if you don't mind," she grinned happily, kissed him and lay down on the couch. She put her head in his lap, wrapped the blanket tighter around her legs and hugged his free arm to her.

"Where were you?" He just smiled at her antics.

"At the beginning when Cedric meets his grandfather for the first time," she replied.

"Ok, uhm," he scanned the text, the found the part. "And then the Earl looked up. What Cedric saw was a large old man with shaggy white hair and eyebrows, and a nose like an eagle's beak between his deep, fierce eyes. What the Earl saw was a graceful, childish figure in a black velvet suit, with a lace collar, and with love-locks waving about the handsome, manly little face…." He read aloud.

Cam sighed contently and closed her eyes. After a while she lost track of what he was saying and concentrated on his deep and gentle voice, the way it changed when he impersonated one or the other character, how it got soft and silky when the scenes were sad. She kissed his hand, let her lips linger on the skin of his palm and enjoyed the blissful contentment she felt while he read their favorite book out to her.

"He gave me this," said his young lordship. "I shall keep it always. You can wear it round your neck or keep it in your pocket. He bought it with the first money he earned after I bought Jake out and gave him the new brushes. It's a keepsake. I put some poetry in Mr. Hobbs's watch. It was, 'When this you see, remember me.' When this I see, I shall always remember Dick," was the last thing she heard before she drifted off to sleep. Last time he had talked about adding good memories. This would be added to hers,she would always remember it.

tbc


	10. Chapter 10

**Part 10: Doesn't sit right**

"Hey, it's me. Did you get to school ?" Cam asked while she watched Hodgins brushing the snow off his car and cursing under his breath.

"Yes, sure, we just arrived. Why?" Michelle asked.

"Because we're snowed in here," Cam replied and looked around. Snow was covering the sidewalk and the street, ice underneath. The cars were all covered with snow and driving in the climate would be a really high risk.

"Really? Damn, why didn't I spent the night at home? At Paris' place the gravel caster arrived before we got up, so it was fine."

"No, Hodgins is trying to dig up the car as we speak, but even if he succeeds there's no way we'll be able to reach the ring road," she spoke louder when she said the last part so Hodgins would hear. He looked up, glared at her and then went back to scraping the front window free.

"You think it'll be cleared after school?" Michelle asked.

"I don't know. But maybe you should just take the bus to Jack's place. You have your key with you?" Cam advised.

"Yeah, but Paris and I have that talk tomorrow and we wanted to work some more on that. You think Dr. H would mind if I invite her over to his place?" she wanted to know.

"I'm sure he won't mind," Cam replied.

"I don't mind what?" Hodgins asked from the car.

"That Michelle goes over to your place after school and brings a friend," Cam told him and covered the phone with her hand.

"Nah, I don't mind. There's still pizza in the freezer if they' re hungry," he replied.

"You heard that?" Cam asked Michelle and took her hand from the microphone.

"Yup. Listen I have to go, lesson starts. I see you tonight?"

"If we're not stuck here, then yes we'll go to Jack's place after work."

"Ok, then see you later," Michelle said and hung up.

"Yeah, see you later," Cam said to the phone and shook her head at Michelle's quick end to the call.

"She hung up on you?" Hodgins asked when he saw the look on her face.

"Said the lesson would start," she nodded.

"Still fifteen minutes until the bell rings. Perry arrived," he smiled knowingly at her after he had checked his watch.

"I actually think you're right," she replied with a smile and stopped pacing on the sidewalk.

"You're done?" she wanted to know.

"No, the damn ice is not getting of my windshield," he replied frustrated.

"Ok, then you stay here and argue with the 'damn ice' while I go upstairs and warm up my frozen feet," she replied.

"I told you not to wear heels when it's that cold," he supplied the absolutely wrong answer.

"They're Manolo Blahnik's, one can wear them anytime," she argued back.

"Obviously not with snow on the ground and ice on the streets," he rolled his eyes. Cam just glared at him, shocked at his ignorance, then turned around and made her way back into the house.

Fifteen minutes later Jack Hodgins finally followed her inside, because when he thought rationally about it he had to admit that it made no sense to free the car of ice and snow when it was impossible to drive because the roads were slippery and covered with snow.

"Cam?" he asked when he walked into the, expected to find her in the living-room. He found it empty though. "Cam?"

"Bathroom," he heard the muffled reply and took off his shoes before walking further into the house. When he neared the door he heard that she was talking to someone, obviously on the phone, and wrinkled his forehead. He opened the bathroom door and found her lying in the bathtub, her phone pressed to her ear, foam shielding her body from his eyes.

"No, I don't think so," she laughed. "No, Seeley, even your super car won't help us much when the roads are that slippery. We just have to wait until they dig us out," she went on.

Hodgins waved with his hands, asking her without words what she was doing in the bathtub, but she just shrugged and went on talking to Booth. She was talking to Booth while she was lying naked in the bathtub, something about that picture didn't sit right with him. He put his hands on his hips and looked at her disapprovingly, but she just put a "What?" expression on her face before she ignored him and laughed and joked with Booth on the phone. A pissed off expression on his face he unbuttoned his shirt, stepped out of his jeans, got rid of the rest of his clothing and stepped into the large tub. Cam only raised her eyebrows in surprise but didn't say anything- to him that was.

"No, I think we'll be in later when they cleared the streets. We'll try again in an hour or so. I honestly can't afford to stay away the whole day, I've got so much work," was the last thing she could say to Booth because Hodgins took the phone out of her hand and ended the call.

"Oops, I guess the phone line crashed because of all that snow," he said and let the phone carefully drop on the bathroom floor.

"Hodgins!" she cried and wanted to start her lecture when he leaned forward and kissed her deeply, with tongue and everything, she just forgot what she wanted to say.

"You are not talking to the FBI guy while you're sitting naked in the tub," he told her and used the same method to shut her up again.

"This is the only freebie card you have. If you do that again there'll be consequences," she threatened when she had created some space by placing a hand on his chest and pushing him off of her.

"No talking to Booth while you're not dressed," he repeated insistently and she decided to let him have this one. After all, what he was doing with his hand under the water and his lips and tongue and....no more talking to Booth while undressed.

**End of part 10**


	11. Chapter 11

**Part 11: Eggnog**

She watched as the rolled away the gurney with the body bag with the last dead body in it for that year. They were off for Christmas and done with death and murder for the rest of the year.

"I'm still impressed we solved that one, wasn't too much left of the guy," Angela said while they watched the remains leave the lab.

"That's because you're my squints," Booth grinned and leaned against the railing with a grin.

"I'm no squint," Cam protested and leaned against the now empty autopsy table on the platform.

"You work with them, you date one, I guess that makes you one yourself," he replied cockily.

"And what does that say about you?" she grinned, raised her eyebrows and glanced in Brennan's direction who was just finishing the report on the PC on the platform. Booth only glared at her before a new idea seemed to form in his head.

"Hey, what happened during our phone call yesterday? I was afraid you dropped the phone into the water." he wanted to know.

"Uhm… the snow crashed the phone line?!" she replied more in a question than an answer and blushed, what didn't go unnoticed.

"Snow's your new pet name for Jack?" Angela grinned naughtily and Cam blushed even more. She just rolled her eyes at her two grinning friends.

"Speaking of Hodgins, where is he?" she asked then looking around, suspicious because she hadn't seen him in a while. Just at that moment she found him sneaking along the gallery, a smile on his face and a large test tube in his hand, filled with a clear liquid.

"I don't believe this," she muttered when she saw him, Fisher following him with an excited look on his face, well, as excited as Fisher could look. "Hodgins!" she yelled then. "Freeze!"

And freeze he did, Fisher as well. He turned slowly in her direction, her expression making it unmistakably clear that she knew what he had planned and did not approve of it.

"Oh come on, Cam!" he groaned.

"No way," she shook her head, her hands now placed on her hips.

"But, baby, I just wanted to…only a bit," he begged. Booth started to laugh and Angela could not contain her grin either.

"Baby?" the FBI agent teased her.

"Don't even start Seeley," Cam turned to him, shutting him up with the warning that showed in her eyes as well. "And you, don't baby me and get rid of that moonshine. No more spicing the eggnog. Last year was bad enough when someone threw up all over the couch," she yelled up at Hodgins.

"Spoilsport," he muttered, but still loud enough for her to hear.

"Hodgins!" she replied in an unnerved tone.

"Guess he's in the doghouse if he doesn't shut up now," Angela whispered loudly to Booth who nodded. Meanwhile Hodgins and Fisher trudged back to where they had come from.

"Stop gossiping you two and instead start decorating," she told them and then marched off.

"What did you say?" Brennan asked when she looked up from the PC, but Cam had already disappeared into her office. Looking for help she turned to her two friends, but they just smiled at her and Angela handed her a bag with tinsel.

~*~

"Sorry, the new director was taking a bit longer to say "Merry Christmas"," Cam excused when she finally made it up to the gallery where the others were already waiting for her, sitting on the couch each of them with a cup of eggnog in their hands.

"Isn't that the same guy who called you at home three times already?" Hodgins asked while Cam fetched some eggnog for herself.

"One and the same. He called me more in the three weeks that he's here than the old director has ever called me," she replied and made her way over to the couches where the team was sitting. The interns had brought chairs from the lab for themselves. All the seats were taken though and so she remained standing.

"Looks like you have concurrence, Hodgins," Booth teased and handed a cookie to Brennan.

"No way," Hodgins shook his head and grabbed Cam's hand and pulled her in his lap. She shrieked because she hadn't seen his move coming, but welcomed his arms around her.

"Jack, I nearly spilled the eggnog," she rolled her eyes at him, but adjusted her position and leaned sideways against him.

"If he doesn't stop going after my woman I'll have to talk to him," Hodgins muttered darkly.

"I could come with you, I know some people…" Wendell offered and used the opportunity to pull Angela, who was sitting next to him, closer to him.

"Don't ruin your future, my friend. Love isn't everlasting," Fisher told Wendell and made everyone laugh.

"I sure hope this one is," Hodgins whispered in Cam's ear so quietly that the others wouldn't hear. His words hit her like an anvil fallen from the sky and her heart sped up, heat spreading throughout her whole body. Suddenly it didn't matter anymore that her subordinates were around or that her friends would tease her. She didn't even realize they were still there. She only saw Hodgins, heard his words and pulled him closer the next second to kiss him. Of course he kissed her back and when they others started to whistle they realized they had let the kiss get a little deeper and a little more intimate than was suitable.

"You know Cam, once upon a time I had a boss who always threatened me and the boyfriend I had back then, with cold water or told us to stop jumping each other. Does that sound familiar?" Angela teased her.

"Huh, and I thought you didn't want to talk about that video tape I saw last week," Cam replied in the same teasing tone and while Angela just laughed Wendell blushed bright red and moved a bit away from his girl.

"What video tape?" Brennan, who had been talking with Booth so far, wanted to know.

"Nothing case related sweetie," Angela just told her. When she turned back to Cam and Hodgins she found that these two had started a private conversation in quiet whispers, deep looks, happy smiles and soft touches. She watched them with a small smile of her own, nudged Wendell and nodded in their direction.

"Hey, you two," she called then and made them both look at her, as well as the rest of the team. "I know I was just teasing you, but if I remember correctly, Jack, you still owe her a kiss. You refused when you were under the mistletoe together," she grinned.

"I guess, she's right," he smiled at Cam.

"Can't mess with the traditions," Cam laughed and laced her fingers through his.

"In front of all employers?" he asked her with raised eyebrows, his smile having a teasing touch to it now.

"Nothing they haven't seen before," she shrugged.

"If only that director were here," he sighed and leaned in.

"Maybe it helps you to remember that you sign his paycheck each month," she winked and lowered her lips to his. This time they didn't mind when the others whistled. They just had to get used to it.

**End of part 11**


	12. Chapter 12

**Part 12: Empty**

"That was great! Although I have to say that I'm disappointed that you didn't cook it yourself," Cam said when they were done eating the epic dinner that Hodgins had served in his dining room.

"Yeah, hiring a cook is kind of cheating, Dr. Hodgins," Michelle agreed with her legal guardian and had fun teasing him.

"Ok, then next year I'll ask my boss to give me Christmas day completely off and then I'll cook for the two of you," he replied and got up.

"It really sucks that you had to work today. Isn't it tradition to open the presents in the morning and not in the evening"? Michelle pointed out.

"Maybe next year we'll be able to change that as well," Cam replied and looked guiltily at Hodgins.

"But we can exchange gifts now," he replied and got up.

"Shouldn't we clean up first?" Cam asked and let her eyes wander over the table that was covered with dishes, pots and pans.

"Nah, we'll do that later. I'm too curious what you got me," he grinned and both women had to laugh. He held out his hand to Cam and wrapped his other arm around Michelle's shoulders when they walked into the living room where the huge, decorated tree was sitting.

"Who goes first?" Cam asked and looked at the two people she loved most in the world. Both had the excitement written all over their faces, the eyes huge with glee.

"I go first! I'm the kid here," Michelle decided and Cam couldn't help but snort and then laugh.

"I'll remind you of that the next time you want to stay out all night," she said laughingly.

"Fine, I'll wait," Hodgins pouted exaggeratedly and sat down on the couch and pulled Cam down with him. They watched when Michelle picked up the presents that were labeled with her name and carried them over to the table, then sat down. Carefully Michelle unwrapped the first box and found a pair of shoes inside, the sneakers she had wanted for a while now. Next was a new alarmclock, a pair of earrings and some clothes. Last she opened the envelope and to her big surprise there was not only a card in it, but a gift certificate.

"Oh my god, we're flying to Disney world in Florida?" she asked excitedly.

"You always wanted to go when you were a kid and you told me that you never went, so we thought…" Cam started to explain and smiled when Michelle hugged her tightly before she could finish her explanation. "You can bring one friend, we booked an apartment for four," she finished with a smile and held Michelle tightly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! This will be amazing!" she replied and jumped up and down with excitement when she let go of Cam and had given Hodgins a hug as well.

"You go next," Hodgins told Cam when Michelle had hopped back to her spot on the couch.

"Really?" she replied surprised, knowing how curious he was about his own gifts.

"Sure, ladies first," he smirked.

"Ok," she nodded and got her presents from under the tree. Like a child she opened the biggest present first and found a scrapbook in a large box. Curiously she opened it and found old pictures of herself and Michelle in there. With tears pooling in her eyes she flipped through the book and found newer pictures at the end. One that showed Hodgins, Michelle and herself at her family's early Christmas celebration marked the end. Underneath Michelle had written " To be continued…"

"I… I don't… it's just… Thank you," she said with a trembling voice and hugged Michelle to her, a few tears escaping her eyes and rolling down her cheeks.

"Glad you like it," Michelle replied shyly and seemed relieved and happy that her present had been a success.

"I love it," Cam clarified and kissed her daughter on the cheek before she sat back down. Hodgins handed her the envelope from the table and Cam opened it. It was an invitation to a weekend get-away at a fancy spa.

"I guess we'll travel a lot this year," Cam laughed and kissed him before she handed the card to Michelle so she could see what it was saying. Next she un-wrapped the bigger gift and found a crafted jewel case inside.

"Thought so your necklaces and earrings don't have to hang around the mirror anymore," Hodgins grinned and she rolled her eyes, but with a happy smile on her face. He had never understood her system when it came to her jewelry.

Having the jewel case now she already knew that there would be jewelry in the smaller gift, most likely something crazily expensive. She was right. Inside she found delicate white gold earrings, which held one small diamond each.

"They match your mother's necklace," he told her unnecessarily when she remained silent. Her answer came in form of a kiss and a long, tight hug.

"Thank you so much," she whispered in his ear, her happiness radiating from her.

"Dr. H, it's your turn," Michelle said, a smile in her voice, when the two didn't make any move to ever break apart again.

"Right, sure," he nodded and reluctantly let go of Cam, but made a point by pecking her lips again before he took the gifts from Michelle, who had got them from under the tree already.

He laughed out loud when he unwrapped Michelle's gift and found a golden statue in it that had written on its pedestal "Dr. H.- King of the kitchen". When he had stopped laughing he got up and placed the statue on the mantle.

"Looks good, don't you think? That's what had been missing all along," he smirked and gave Michelle's shoulder a squeeze when he walked back to the couch. When he opened Cam's gift he found a watch inside, the one he had wanted to buy for months, since his old one had stopped working. However while he was good at buying things for others, he was very bad at buying things for himself and was happy that Cam had made the decision for him.

"Aww, thank you," smiled and leaned in to kiss her, but she stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"It's engraved on the back," she told him, looking nervous. Curiously h took the watch out of the box and turned it around._ When this you see, remember me_- he read. He hugged her before she could stop him again and pressed his lips to her cheek.

"I'm always thinking about you, always," he whispered in her ear.

"We have one more thing for you," Cam said when he pulled back. He eyes locked with Michelle's and they smiled at each other, then nodded.

"Another gift? Isn't that enough?" he asked.

"I wouldn't necessarily call it a gift," Michelle mused.

"Then again…" Cam said mysteriously.

"Where is it so I can open it? You made me curious now," he said and looked around the room.

"You can't open it," Michelle shook her head and got up.

"Then again…" Cam said again and the two females grinned. "Put your shoes and jacket on," Cam told him and then followed Michelle out into the entryway, where they had already placed their coats and shoes. As quickly as he could Hodgins did as she had told him. Cam linked her arm through his right arm while Michelle did the same on the left side and they led him out of his house. When they turned right after the pool house he knew they were heading to the second garage, the one he rarely used since Zack had lived in the apartment above it.

"Don't tell me you got me a car," he said confused. That would be way too much and also kind of pointless. He already had several cars, why would he need another one?

"No, no car," Michelle shook her head. They stopped in front of the garage and Cam unlocked the door. They waited until they were all inside and then Michelle switched on the light. Three cardboard boxes were sitting in the middle of the otherwise empty room and Hodgins raised his eyebrows.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Why don't you go and open them?" Cam just grinned and Michelle stepped closer to her. They both watched with amusement when Hodgins walked over to the boxes and opened them one after the other, the turned around, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Didn't you forget something? They are all empty," he said, looking from one grinning woman to the other.

"Nope, we just already unpacked them," Michelle shook her head, the grin on her face getting wider.

"O-kay," he dragged out the word and looked back at the boxes for a second.

"These three boxes have more a symbolic kind of value. They are the last three boxes we unpacked when we moved into your house over the last two weeks," Cam finally said and his eyes got wide.

"You moved in?" he gasped.

"And you didn't even notice, because we slowly moved everything in, and just made sure you wouldn't see the new furniture in Michelle's room or find the boxes in here," Cam nodded and bit her lip when he didn't say anything else for what seemed like forever.

"Do you mind?" Michelle asked warily, noticing his silence as well.

"Do I mind? Oh my god, this is the best Christmas present ever," he exclaimed and hugged them both tightly. "You moved in, I can't believe it."

"Sorry, I had to tell you we wouldn't several times over the last weeks, but it would have given away the surprise," Cam apologized and was silenced with a passionate kiss.

"Ok, this is my cue to leave," Michelle rolled her eyes at the necking couple. "Don't stay out here too long, it's cold," she added and closed the door behind her.

"Oh god, I love you so much and now you moved in… I didn't even notice… and… and… Michelle's ok with it," he sputtered against her lips when they broke the kiss in favor of oxygen.

"Merry Christmas, Jack," she just replied, smiling at him, her eyes were shining with love.

"Merry Christmas Camille," he replied and lowered his lips back to hers.

**The end**


End file.
